Yoshihiro Murayama, "The Idea of China" Summary and Comments - A recommended reference book to grasp the historical background and overall picture of Chinese religion!
Introduced here is Yoshihiro Murayama's "The Idea of China" published by Shakaishisosha in 1972.
Let's take a quick look at the book.
Many of our perceptions of Chinese classics and thought are based on the stereotyped viewpoint that we are studying the "excellent teachings" of Confucius and Mencius. However, thought should be considered in the context of the history of the nation in which it was originally formed and the lives of its people.
This book is a unique history of Chinese thought, written from this perspective to trace the flow of Chinese thought from the Upper Dynasty to the present day, analyzing its essence while making it interesting to the general reader.
From the cover of Yoshihiro Murayama's "The Idea of China," Shakai Shisosha
This book is recommended for Japanese to get an overall picture of Chinese religion, which is surprisingly unknown to them despite being their neighbor.
I read this book by Shota Kikuchi, previously mentioned in this blog.Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism: The Space of East Asian Thought.was the catalyst for the book. In the book, this book, "The Idea of China," was introduced as follows.
Yoshihiro Murayama's book "The Idea of China" is a good book for those interested in the subject. The book is a concise summary of the history of Chinese thought, but it is exciting because of the sometimes blunt language in which it is written. For example, the first sentence of the book opens with the following statement.
There are many people who are interested in Chinese classics and thought, but their knowledge is generally inaccurate and sometimes highly erroneous. "There are many people who are interested in Chinese classics and thought, but the knowledge they have is generally inaccurate and sometimes highly erroneous.
It is so painful that it seems to suddenly slay the person in front of you.
Think about it. You may be reading this book because you have some interest in Chinese classics and thought. Some of you may have a great deal of knowledge. But, as I have said, the book is not a book about knowledge, but rather a book about the knowledge of the Chinese classics and thought. But when you read the rest of the book, you will be convinced.
Mr. Murayama gives two reasons. In a nutshell, they are as follows.
The first root of all evils is that there are those who unnecessarily revere the Chinese classics. They are so eager to revere the teachings of Confucius that they have distorted the true meaning of the classics. This tendency has not changed at all from the Edo period to the present.
The second root of all evil is that there are those who are Westernized (duh). They try to use Western philosophical concepts to interpret Chinese thought. But it is an impossible task to apply Western methods to something that was established in a very different way. -It is true that there are many books and articles that analyze Chinese thought using terms such as "epistemology" and "metaphysics. Mr. Murayama says, "I think it is impossible to apply Western methods to something that is different from the original.
The novelty of the title made them appear to the public as something outstanding and innovative, and they were welcomed with open arms, but in reality they were works that contributed little to the advancement of scholarship.
Tohoho...... Actually, I was just about to do the same thing, so I must have this on my mind.
Mr. Murayama then emphasizes that ideas are inseparably linked to the societies and lives of the peoples who gave birth to them. In particular, language also defines the way we see and think. We Japanese tend to think that because we use Chinese characters, we are familiar with Chinese language and culture, but we must eliminate such easy assumptions. The geographical proximity between Japan and China does not necessarily mean that the cultures of the two countries are similar. Do not forget this fact.
He goes on to conclude. Thus, what is hoped for now is that many people will realize, "Actually, I didn't know anything about China.
Yes, I am confident in this! I am confident about this.
Kodansha, Shota Kikuchi, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism: The Space of East Asian Thought, p. 17-18.
Shota Kikuchi's "Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism: The Space of Ideas in East Asia" was also a very interesting book.
You will want to read this!
In fact, this book is indeed very sharp. It discusses Confucius, Mencius, and others in a way that dares to break our image of them.
Confucius and Mencius are indeed great historical figures. But uncritically worshipping them too much as saints and monarchs can be detrimental to our understanding of their thought. This book is unique in that it points this out.
Also, as the title of the book is "Chinese Thought," it is gratifying to be able to view the entire flow of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism in China.
It is a compact, paperback-sized work, but very rich in content.
I highly recommend this book. Why not pick up a copy?
This is "Yoshihiro Murayama's "The Idea of China" - A recommended reference book to grasp the historical background and overall picture of Chinese religion! The above is "Yoshihiro Murayama's "The Idea of China" - a recommended reference book to grasp the historical background and overall picture of Chinese religion!
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